Device and method for correcting misalignment of building structural parts

ABSTRACT

A device for correcting misalignment of building structural parts such as studs of building structure walls comprising a bracket adapted to be at least partly coextensive with a stud of a building wall, the bracket having a front face and a side face, the side face being attachable to a stud of a building structure whereby misalignment of the stud from a desired orientation can be compensated.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. Provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/516,555 filed Oct. 31, 2003 entitled DEVICE FOR CORRECTING MISALIGNMENT OF BUILDING WALLS, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a device for correcting for misalignment of building structural parts, for example, walls, wherein the structural parts are constructed from metal or wood framing or studding. Steel or wood studding is often used to provide the framework for building walls. Applicant is aware of the following prior art:

-   -   Earhart et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,953,862, Sep. 21, 1999;     -   Foss, U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,250 Oct. 8, 1991;     -   Walper, U.S. Pat. No. 2,041,800 May 26, 1936;     -   Gamba, U.S. Pat. No. 5,163,255, Nov. 17, 1992;     -   Urbain, U.S. Pat. No. 2,239,433, Apr. 22, 1941;     -   Elderson, U.S. Pat. No. 6,021,618, Feb. 8, 2000;     -   Hieger, U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,548, Dec. 17, 1985; and     -   Bogle, U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,489 Dec. 2, 1986.

It is desirable to provide the building trade with a simple and convenient means to correct the misalignment of building structural parts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect, the invention comprises a device for correcting misalignment of building structural parts comprising a bracket adapted to be at least partly coextensive with a building structural part, the bracket having a front face and a side face, the side face being attachable to a building structural part whereby misalignment of the building structural part from a desired orientation can be compensated.

According to another aspect, the invention comprises a method for correcting misalignment of building structural parts comprising obtaining a bracket adapted to be at least partly coextensive with a building structural part, the bracket having a front face and a side face, and attaching the side face to the building structural part whereby misalignment of the structural part from a desired orientation can be compensated.

In one embodiment, the present invention comprises an L-shaped bracket which can be fastened to the wall studs to correct for any misalignment, unevenness or out of plumb condition of the front face of the studs of building walls. The invention can be used for metal, e.g., steel, or for wood studded building walls. The invention according to this embodiment comprises an L-shaped bracket having a face portion and a side portion which has holes for attachment to the steel or wood framing studs. If a stud is out of alignment, the L-bracket is shifted so that the face of the L-bracket forms the new, correctly aligned face of the stud. The L bracket is screwed or nailed into the side of the stud and shifted appropriately to accommodate any misalignment of the stud. For example, if the top of the stud is out of plumb such that it is directed more inwardly, toward the room interior, the L-bracket would be attached such that its face is shifted inwardly by the appropriate amount at the bottom (away from the stud face) to accommodate the misalignment. The L-bracket can thus correct a limited amount of stud misalignment.

Although the invention can take the form of an L-bracket, it will be appreciated that the invention can also take the form of a channel shape, having two side portions for attachment to a stud.

It should also be appreciated that the device of the invention can also be used for other purposes other than correcting the misalignment of wall studs, e.g., for correcting misalignment of other building structural parts that are out of alignment such as floors or ceilings, etc.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described with reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the device of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a side view of one use of the invention;

FIG. 3 shows an end view of an alternative channel shaped bracket according to the invention; and

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows an example of the device of the present invention comprising an L-shaped bracket 10 having a front face 1 and a side face 2. The side face 2 preferably has a plurality of holes 3 therein which allow it to be attached to the side of a stud, as shown in FIG. 2, thereby to correct for misalignment of the stud. For example, sheet metal screws can be used to secure the device to metal studding or nails or screws can be used with wood studding.

As show in FIG. 2, which is a side view of a stud, the stud leans to the left (inwardly) at the top. In order to correct for this misalignment, the L-shaped bracket of FIG. 1 is fastened to the side of the stud by fasteners through suitable ones of the holes 3, as shown in FIG. 1, as for example, with screws or nails. The L bracket is attached to the stud so that the front face of the bracket is most nearly plumb or vertical to correct for the misalignment. The wall structure, e.g., drywall, is then screwed to the front face.

As shown in FIG. 1, the L-bracket may have a channel shaped front portion 1 with two C or U-shaped portions 1A. One portion 1A is connected integrally to side portion 2. Preferably the width W of front portion 1 is about the width of a standard metal or wood stud, about 1.5 inches, although other widths can be provided. The devices of the invention can be of any suitable length, for example, standard 8 ft, 10 ft, 12 ft lengths, etc.

The depth D of side face 2 can be any suitable depth, for example, it can be about 3.25 inches, one quarter inch less than the depth of a 2×4 used as a wall stud. However, any other depth may be used, as long as it is not greater than the stud wall thickness.

In a further embodiment, the device of the invention comprises a channel shaped bracket 10A having two side portions 2 and 2A, which can be attached to respective sides of a stud 20, as shown in end view in FIG. 3.

Further, although holes 3 are shown in the bracket 10, holes need not be provided as screws or nails can be driven through the sheet metal of the bracket or holes can be drilled on site, as desired.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the invention with exemplary measurements in inches. In FIG. 4, the bracket 10 includes side face 2 having holes 3 as well as slots 3A to provide slidable adjustment. After the fastners are placed loosely through the slots 3A, the bracket 10 can be adjusted to the proper orientation and then the fasteners can be fixed tightly.

Although the present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments thereof, many other variations and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the present invention should be limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims. 

1. A device for correcting misalignment of building structural parts comprising: a bracket adapted to be at least partly coextensive with a building structural part, the bracket having a front face and a side face, the side face being attachable to a building structural part whereby misalignment of the building structural part from a desired orientation can be compensated.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the building structural part comprises a stud of a building wall.
 3. The device of claim 2, wherein the side face has a plurality of holes for receiving fasteners for attaching the bracket to the stud.
 4. The device of claim 2, wherein the bracket is L-shaped.
 5. The device of claim 2, wherein the front face is without any holes.
 6. The device of claim 3, wherein suitable fasteners can be inserted through ones of the holes to fasten the bracket to a stud.
 7. The device of claim 4, wherein the stud comprises a metal or wood stud.
 8. The device of claim 2, wherein the front face is smooth.
 9. The device of claim 2, wherein misalignment of a stud from plumb can be compensated by shifting the bracket so the front face is substantially plumb.
 10. The device of claim 2, wherein the front face comprises an inverted channel, with the side face integrally connected to one sidewall of the channel.
 11. The device of claim 10, wherein sidewalls of the channel have a U or C shape.
 12. The device of claim 1, wherein the bracket has the form of a channel having two side portions.
 13. The device of claim 3, wherein the holes are elongated slots.
 14. A method for correcting misalignment of building structural parts comprising: obtaining a bracket adapted to be at least partly coextensive with a building structural part, the bracket having a front face and a side face, and attaching the side face to the building structural part whereby misalignment of the structural part from a desired orientation can be compensated.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of attaching comprises attaching the side face of the bracket to a structural part comprising a wall stud.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of attaching the side face of the bracket to the stud comprises using fasteners applied to the side face.
 17. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of obtaining comprises obtaining a bracket that is L-shaped.
 18. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of obtaining comprises obtaining a bracket having a front face without any holes.
 19. The method of claim 16, further comprising inserting suitable fasteners through holes in the side face to fasten the bracket to a stud.
 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the stud comprises a metal or wood stud.
 21. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of obtaining comprises obtaining a bracket having a front face that is smooth.
 22. The method of claim 15, wherein misalignment of a stud from plumb can be compensated by shifting the bracket so the front face is substantially plumb.
 23. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of obtaining comprises obtaining a bracket having a front face comprising an inverted channel, with the side face integrally connected to one sidewall of the channel.
 24. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of obtaining comprises obtaining a bracket having a bracket having side walls of the channel having a U or C shape
 25. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of obtaining comprises obtaining a bracket having the form of a channel having two side portions.
 26. The method of claim 19, further comprising adjusting the bracket with respect to the stud by moving the bracket with respect to fasteners placed through the holes comprising elongated slots. 